Blowing engine



Jan. 9, 1923. L. C. EDGAR 1,442, 024.

BLOWING ENGINE.

FILED FEB. 25,1921- 6 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Jan. 9, 1923. L. C EDGAR. LMLZMZ L BLOWING ENGINE.

FILED FEB. 25. 1921.

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Jan. 9, 9 L. c. EDGAR.

BLOWING ENGINE.

FILED FEB. 25, I92!- 6 SHEETSSHE ET 4,.

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Jan. 9 1923 L C EDGAR BLOWING ENGINE.

FILED FEB. 25. I921.

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L. (I. EDGAR BLOWING ENGINE.

Jan. 9, 1923;

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LOUIS C. EDGAR, 0F SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

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7 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, LoUIs U. EDGAR, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Blowing Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to blowing engines used in Bessemer steel and blast furnace plants and while not limited to such type, more particularly relates to blowing engines which are driven at a constant speed.

One object of the invention is to provide a blowing engine having novel means enabling the engine to be driven to supply a varying pressure and varying volumes of the compressed fluid while operating the engine at a constant speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for varying the clearance in the blowing engine cylinder. and provide for the delivery of the air in variable quantities and at varying pressures while said engine is being driven at either a constant or variable speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an engine of this class that may be regulated and controlled from a remotely located point, thereby permitting said con trol mechanism to be located convenient for the blast furnace operators.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor driven blowing engine that will have all the advantages of control now existing in steam driven units and at the same time be free of the cumbersome and expensive accessories necessary to control and operate such steam driven units.

A still further object is to eliminate all the waste of power associated with steam driven blowing engines 'due to the transportation of steam, leakage, etc.

A still further object is to provide a blowing engine that may be driven from power produced at a central power house, which will materially lower the cost of operation when several blowing engines are used.

for several furnaces, since the load for several furnaces will be approximately constant.

These and other objects and advantages will be more fully described in the following specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of a blowing engine embodying my invention in combination with a hot blast stove and blast furnace, and showing the control means therefor.

Figure 2 is a top plan, on a larger scale. of the blowing engine of Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the engine of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4c is a sectional side elevation through one of the'cylinders of the engine showing the movable head in its extreme forward position for minimum clearance in full lines, and in its extreme rearward position for maximum clearance in dotted lines.

Figure 5 is a sectional end elevation on the irregular line V-V of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional end elevation on the irregular line VI--VT of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail elevation partly in section of the piston and the movable cylinder head. which as shown are duplicates in construction.

Figure 8 is a sectional side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 7.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates the blowing engine as a whole, which is shown adapted for use in supplying air under pressure to the cold blast main-2 of a blast furnace plant. The main 2 leads to the hot blast stove l3, and the air, after being heated in the stove B, passes through the hot blast main 3 to the blast furnace C.

As my invention relates particularly to the blowing engine A, the hot and cold blast mains, hot blast stove, and furnace, will not be further described.

, The blowing engine A comprises a suitable base 5 having a pair of cylinders 6 mounted thereon. Each cylinder 6 is provided. with a reciprocatory piston 7 having its rod secured to a suitable cross head 8,

the cross head being mounted between guides 9 and 10. The cross heads are operated by connecting rods 11, one end of each connecting rod being mounted on a crank pin 12. The crank pins are secured on the crank disks 13, which are fastened on opposite ends of the armature shaft 14 of a suitable motor 15.' The motor 15 preferably will be of constant speed, 'but may be a multi-speed or adjustable speed motor.

Each of the cylinders 6 is provided with a movable head 16 opposite the pistons 7, which is adapted to be adjusted toward and away from the piston to vary the capacity of the cylinder.

Each head 16 is provided with a toothed rack 17 in mesh with a pinion 18. which is keyed on the shaft 19 which is journaled in suitable bearings 20. The racks 17 are I- shaped in cross section and are so positioned that their upper faces will travel in the guide blocks 21.

Each of the shafts 19 is independently driven by an electric motor 22. and each motor is connected by a shaft 23 to a worm 24, which meshes with the worm wheel 25 on the shaft 26, which is journaled in the worm housing 27. The shaft 26 is provided with a spur pinion 27 in mesh with a large spur gear 28 keyed on the one end of the shaft 29, which is journaled in bearing blocks 30. The shaft 29 has a pinion 31 keyed on its opposite end, which is in mesh with the spur gear 32 keyed on the one end of the shaft 19.

From the above it will be apparent that although considerable power is necessary to move the heads .16, comparatively small motors 22 may be used due to the reducing gearing above described.

The pistons 7 are of hollow or skeleton construction and are provided with a plurality of valve ports 35 each of which has a one-way inlet valve 36 seated therein.

The movable heads are similar in construction to the pistons 7 and are provided with a plurality of valve ports 35, each of which has a one-way inlet valve 36 seated therein.

The cylinders 6 are provided with an integrally formed chamber or manifold 39 intermediate their ends and a plurality of valve ports 40 are formed in the periphery of the cylinder wall, which connect the interior of the cylinder with said manifold; Each of the ports 40 is provided with a one-way or single acting outlet valve 41.

Each of the cylinder manifolds 39 is adapted to be connected at 42 with the main manifold 43 which in turn communicates with the cold blast main 2.

The motors 22 are arranged to be controlled by a controller 45 having forward, neutral and reverse positions, the controller being conveniently located on an instrument board 46, which. is erected near the furnace so that the furnace operator may shift the position of the heads 16 in the cylinders at will, and thereby vary the quantity or pressure of the air supplied by the blowing engine, or both the quantity or pressure.

The board 46 also carries suitable volume and pressure gauges 47 and 48, respectively,

which may be of any of the several well known constructions.

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows:

Assuming that the motor 15 is in operation. and that the adjustable heads 16 are in retracted position, a minimum volume of air of low pressure will be forced through the outlet ports 40 into the manifold 3t), and thence to the cold blast main 2.

hen the furnace operator desires a greater volume or a higher pressure or both, the controller 45 will be thrown so as to completethe circuit to the motors 22, thereby operating the pinion 18 to move the rack 17 and head 16 forward, by or toward the middle of the length of the cylinder. until the desired air pressure is obtained when the controller 4:) will be moved to neutral position and head 16 will remain stationary.

Should the operator desire to lessen the pressure or secure less quantity of air, the controller 45 will be thrown into reverse position thereby causing the motors 22 to operate in the reverse direction so to operate the pinion 18 to move rack 17 and head 16 backwardly or away from the middle of the length of the cylinder, until the desired air volume and pressure is obtained, when the controller 45 will again be moved into neutral position.

The advantages of my invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, arise from the simplicity of the apparatus and the ease with which the volume and pressure obtained are varied and controlled.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims. A variable speed motor may be employed when dcsired and other changes may be made.

I claim 1. A blowing engine comprising a cylinder having valved outlet ports therein, a reciprocating piston mounted in said cylinder, a movable head within the cylinder adapted to be moved toward and away from. said piston to vary the capacity of said cylinder, a constant speed motor connected to said piston for constantly reciprocating the same, power means for moving said movable head toward or away from said piston and control mechanism for controlling said power means, said control pinion.

Laaaoaa of said cylinder valved inlet ports in said piston and said movable head, valved outlet ports in said cylinder, a constant speed 1110- tor for reciprocating said piston, and power means for adjusting said movable head within said cylinder.

3. A blowing engine comprising, a cylinder. a IQClPl'OCHtIIlg piston therefor, a movable head in said cylinder, said head being adapted to move towardrand away from said piston to vary the capacity of said cylinder. valve controlled ports opening into and out of said cylinder. means for ad justing said movable head in said cylinder, and means for operating said piston, said adjusting means including a rack secured to said head in mesh with a power driven -l-. A blowing engine comprising, a cylinder. a 1'0('l])I()(2l'tll] ,I piston therefor, a movable head in said cylinder, said head being adapted to he moved toward and away from said piston to vary the capacity of said cylinder. valve controlled inlet ports in said piston and said movable head, valve controlled outlet ports in said cyl inder, means for reciprocating said piston, and means for adjusting said movable head in said cylinder, said adjusting means including a rack secured to said head and in mesh With a motor driven pinion.

5. A blowing engine comprising a plurality of cylinders, a reciprocating piston in each of said cylinders, a movable head adjustably held in each of said cylinders, said heads being adapted to move toward and away from the piston in the respective cylinders to vary the capacity of said cylinders, valved inlet ports in said pistons and said heads, valved outlet ports in said cylinder, means for adjusting said heads in said cylinders, means for operating said pistons, said adjusting, means comprising a rack secured to each of Said heads, and a motor driven pinion in mesh with each of said racks and adapted to move said racks and said heads.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto signed my name.

LUlUlIS C. EDGAR. 

